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FDA approves Frankenfish production

The first genetically modified animal will not be on market in the United States just yet, but the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did approve Frankenfish production in PEI and in Panama.

The ‘big’ fish, created by Aquabounty scientists, is genetically modified with a Pacific Chinook salmon gene causing it to be twice as large and grow twice as fast as regular Atlantic salmon. The cultivation of these fish would apparently not pose a threat to wild stocks (as they are sterile) or their habitats, nor are they deemed to be unsafe for humans to eat.

While the Massachusetts-based company, Aquabounty, has been given the go ahead for production, FDA approval for consumption is still pending.